New search for David Ibbotson to begin as pilot of Emiliano Sala plane remains missing

The family of North Lincolnshire pilot David Ibbotson say a new operation involving deep sea divers and helicopter searches of coastal areas is to begin after the plane carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala crashed in the English Channel

A new search operation to find the body of northern Lincolnshire pilot David Ibbotson is set to begin, his family have said.

Mr Ibbotson, from Crowle, was flying a Piper Malibu aircraft which which went missing over the English Channel on Monday, January 21 as it flew Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala from Nantes in France to Wales.

A private search funded by the Sala family located the wreck of the plane and the body of the 28-year-old Argentinian striker was recovered from it but Mr Ibbotson remains unaccounted for.

After the recovery of Sala's body, the official search was called off and efforts to recover the wreckage were brought to an end, although the Ibbotson family launched a separate appeal through the GoFundMe website to continue operations to find his body.

Now, with the appeal fund standing at more than £247,000, the family have said they are aiming for a new search involving deep sea divers and helicopter searches of coastal areas to begin in the coming days.

Updating supporters on the family's progress, Mr Ibbotson's daughter Danielle wrote on the fundraising page today: "We are looking to have the deep divers start hopefully beginning of next week. We are just waiting on confirmation of dates to update you all.

An image released by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch showing part of the wreckage of the plane which was carrying Cardiff City footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot Dave Ibbotson, after it was discovered in the English Channel (Image: AAIB/PA)

"Also we are organising the helicopter searches of the coastal areas, just will be starting a lot sooner than the deep dive.

"You have all been so amazing and thank you for all your kind messages and donations."

In a further update, Danielle wrote: "We have spoken to the the director of the Civil Aviation Authority in Guernsey, along with Sark authorities, with a planned route. We are waiting on the permissions to be able to perform the flight.

"As everyone can appreciate we are just a normal family and not in the media eye. We also are relying on the professionals to advise and make the flight plans and get the correct permission to do the flight and the dive for us.

"I am also wanting the searches to start as soon as possible but we are doing our best and we are just following the correct processes to get everything underway correctly and also safety for the amazing pilots and divers who will be helping us."

The search will be led by David Mearns, the man who located the wreckage of the aircraft almost two weeks after it vanished.

Marine Scientist David Mearns (Image: PA)

According to Wales Online, Mr Mearns said: "I have been assisting the family of pilot David Ibbotson to hopefully locate his body.

"This search is technically very different to the underwater search for the Piper Malibu aircraft. It is dependent on good weather, neap tides and flight permits. The family needs space to plan.

"The 'search' will include a dive to the wreck to rule out 100 per cent that David's body is there and a helicopter search of inaccessible coastal areas in the Channel Islands using trained pilots and observers. All contingent on good weather, permits, etc."

Mr Ibbotson's wife Nora appeared with Danielle on ITV's Good Morning Britain three weeks after the crash, where they said they would not give up hope of finding him.

Danielle told the programme : "If you have got hope, then you shouldn't give up. He wouldn't stop searching for me."

David Ibbotson's wife Nora (left) and daughter Danielle have spoken about never giving up hope of finding his body (Image: ITV)

Mrs Ibbotson spoke about the need to continue the search and bring her husband home.

She said: "We know that he is dead. We do know that, but we just want him home.

"He has been a brilliant husband, he has supported us all. He was our supporter. He was our rock.

"We can't leave him out there on his own. We are trying to do everything we can. This is why we have done the appeal for some help to guide us."

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Sizeable donations to the fund have been given by Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan , Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker and footballers including Kylian Mbappe, Ilkay Gundogan and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Heartfelt tributes were left to him at a memorial in Crowle's Market Place following the tragedy, with messages from family members, residents and businesses alongside flowers, candles and a Cardiff City scarf.

An inquest into Sala's death was opened and adjourned on Monday, February 11. It was told the footballer died of "head and trunk injuries" and he was identified by fingerprint evidence.